Heavy Duty Trucking, July 2016

We anticipate that some of these safety systems will eventually be required by regulation says Wade Long director of product marketing for Volvo Trucks Forward collision warning systems and automated emergency braking systems are likely to be among the first systems mandated although it is difficult at the moment to say when exactly that will happen Taken as a whole these reasons make a strong case both financially and in terms of sheer practicality for fleets to evaluate and spec advanced safety systems on their trucks today Safety systems have come a long way in the last 5 to 10 years and the technology is proven says Kurt Swihart Kenworth marketing director Take a closer look at these technologies and think broadly about how these systems can help manage overall risk JULY 2016 HDT 71 WWW TRUCKINGINFO COMnot for an individual truck necessarily but across the entire fleet And then theres the specter of litigation to consider Taking on the truck chasers Youve heard of ambulance chasers lawyers who seek out accident victims to encourage them to sue for damages Theres a related breed who specialize in targeting trucking companies The grim reality is the motoring public doesnt realize that many fleets use sophisticated safety systems Truck chasing lawyers prey on stereotypes and fears of big trucks and can easily entice a motorist involved in a truck accident into a lawsuit Michael Hostetter is an Atlanta based attorney whose firm Nall and Miller specializes in defending fleets from lawsuits resulting from roadway accidents He told me he always breathes easier when his client fleet has safety systems specd on its vehicles Still he acknowledges that many fleets today are hesitant to spec safety equipment for a variety of reasons I have clients who complain about the cost of these systems he says But they never complain about their effectiveness Hostetter says some fleets worry that systems such as event recorders or cameras will prove theyre at fault in an accident a concern he dismisses out of hand If the telemetry or video evidence shows your driver is at fault youre already responsible he explains But even if you are at fault you can often come out ahead in the long run simply by moving directly to a settlement phase and avoiding the time expense and uncertain outcome in a drawn out courtroom battle CONSIDER ADVANCED SYSTEMS Lytx which specializes in video based telematics systems says the vehicle the driver and the environment all must be taken into account for significant and enduring safety improvements Meritor Wabco says heavy duty truck fleets using its OnGuard collision mitigation system have reported a 65 to 87 reduction in accidents resulting in an up to 89 reduction in accident costs compared to vehicles without OnGuard PHOTO MERITOR WABCO

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